New on Idealist:
596,856 so far.
|
The Nonprofit FAQ
>
Development
>
-
What are the 10 'Immutable Laws of Fundraising'?
They're not encouraging, but thinking about them will help in the development of a realistic fundraising plan.
-
How can we set more realistic expectations with our funders?
An FAQ item from Bridgespan.org entitled "Nonprofit Overhead Costs," outlines how to set more realistic expectations with . funders
-
What can people in other countries learn from US fundraising?
A veteran fundraiser offers some observations.
-
The Philanthropic Giving Index
IU's Center on Philanthropy calculates an index of the confidence of fund-raising executives.
-
Fundraising Productivity Series
These "Collected Essays by Bill Levis" are now online at the Urban Institute
-
Are there membership associations for fundraisers
There are several; some background about four is in this item.
-
Can we raise money with $0 fundraising expense?
Maybe. But the accounting rules make clear that it only happens in very special cases.
-
I want to raise money for a cause; what do I need to worry about?
Besides finding the money, you mean? Well, there are actually several things that need to be done to get ready to run a fundraising campaign.
-
Should fundraising revenue be reported 'gross' or 'net'?
'Gross' is the right answer here.
-
Are fees charged by federated campaigns fundraising expenses? For whom?
It depends. What the donor says matters.
-
What to do before the grantwriter comes?
Preparation is needed to make the most of help from professionals in fundraising.
-
What works in fundraising from local businesses?
Tips for contacting potential supporters.
-
How much difference can a celebrity endorsement make?
Not much, at least according to one survey. If you want to work on getting a celebrity involved, here's some advice as well.
-
How should I use direct mail?
Questions and answers on effective uses of direct mail.
-
How will the Net Affect the work of Fundraisers?
Early discussions of many possible ways for fundraisers to use the net. Adam Corson-Finnerty has more recently developed a comprehensive website on the subject at http://www.fund-online.com/.
-
How to Choose a Service to Process Donations Online
IdealWare has a thorough discussion on the web.
-
Is it Worth it to Set Things Up to Receive Donations by credit card?
It is cost effective to allow donors to charge donations; they give slightly more, can arrange monthly installments, and the organization may save on printing and postage.
-
What about 'charity malls' or 'shop-to-give' websites?
Discussions of the pros and cons of encouraging supporters to do their online purchasing at websites that support charities with part of their revenue.
-
What About Nonprofit Charity Auctions Online?
Ideas for using existing auction facilities as a fund-raising tool.
-
How effective is a newsletter as a development tool? (6/9/96)
If used correctly, newsletters can be a valuable fundraising tool.
-
How can a community radio station find funds for new equipment?
Extensive discussion of ideas for soliciting donations to fund new equipment for a radio station. Many ideas would be applicable to campaigns for capital equipment or other similar fundraising situations.
-
Are events really a good way to raise money for an organization?
A colloquy on the theme that often just asking people to support you directly is more effective than selling things or holding fundraising events. (From the newsgroup in 1995.)
-
Can special events raise money with little cost?
Events are rarely successful until they have become well-established.
-
Is telemarketing generally a useful fundraising strategy?
Telemarketing can be a very useful strategy.
-
Aren't telemarketing volunteers or canvassers a special breed?
An effective telemarketing volunteer can be anyone who supports your organization and has its best interests at heart. 'Canvassers' are paid to do telemarketing.
-
Is it necessary to pay for telemarketing services from a firm?
If volunteers are properly trained, it may not be necessary to hire a telemarketing firm.
-
What are the disadvantages of using a telemarketing firm?
The key disadvantage to using telemarketing firms is the percentage of each pledged donation which they collect as a fee.
-
What about equipment for telemarketing? Training? Etc?
Find a friendly stock or real estate brokerage firm for phone equipment and look for consultants to train callers or trainers.
-
Is it possible to raise money by contacting corporations?
Corporations support nonprofits when there is a strong alignment of goals. This item gives advice on how to identify the right corporations to contact.
-
How can we get started in workplace giving?
It's essential to build and maintain relationships with the leaders of the employing organizations who will make the decision about engaging their companies in the campaign.
-
Should we conduct a raffle?
There are a lot of hoops to jump through.
-
Can there be a separate board dedicated to fund raising?
In some situations, a group that does nothing but fund raising may be a very useful approach.
-
How do we plan a program to secure major gifts? Build an endowment?
Two veteran fundraisers outline the major steps.
-
What is Cause Marketing?
An explaination of the term and link to some further discussion.
-
How can I determine my program costs easily?
A number of factors need to be considered when determining program costs.
-
Should Volunteers be Asked to Make Financial Contributions?
A veteran fundraiser thinks so. And offers advice about how to make such requests.
-
Does anyone ever say 'no' to a gift?
It's best to think this question through before the issue arises and to have an established policy that relates any restrictions on donors or donations to the mission of your organization.
-
Can nonprofits use direct fax to fundraise?
For some applications, broadcast fax can be a successful fundraising tool. But federal rules suggest unsolicited faxes may not be the best strategy.
-
Contingent Compensation
A listing of the articles in the Nonprofit FAQ that discuss the problems with paying fundraisers a percentage of the funds raised.
-
Are Ratios Useful? For Donors? For the Community? (Added 2/24/96)
When should donors be concerned about average costs (ratios) in evaluating the performance of organizations which seek donations as one of the ways they raise the money they need to operate?
-
The Association of Fundraising Professionals Code of Ethics
Excerpts pertaining to fees for consulting from the Association of Fundraising Professionals' Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice
-
What about calculating fund raising ratios?
These calculations are more difficult to interpret than they might appear.
-
How can we streamline charitable solicitations registration?
The Unified Registration Statement (URS) is accepted by many states.
-
Does Fundraising on the Internet Require Registration in Every State?
Does posting a request for donations on a website mean registration is required in every state? There is no final answer...yet. Several writers' have discussed the question online.
-
Can a member claim a 'refund' for contributions?
When members leave a program, may they claim a 'refund' for part or all of donations they have previously made?
-
Where are useful nonprofit & fundraising resources on the net?
An annotated list of resources of interest or use to nonprofits.
-
A Classified List of Key Texts
Prepared by a former student at the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy.
-
Information on Fundraising in the UK.
WWW pages for UK charity fundraisers.
-
Exotic Fundraising
A description of a firm that works on fundraising for unusual causes.
-
We can't afford a full office and staff. Where can we turn?
You may want to consider fiscal sponsorship. Here are a couple of organizations that may be able to help.
-
How can I become a fundraising consultant?
Consultants must respond to a wide range of challenges (says an experienced fundraiser), so they need to have a wide range of experience.
-
Can my organization get started for $0 out of pocket?
Probably not. It takes elbow grease, shoe leather, and persistence.
|
|
